Meet the New Team and Updated Menu at Cortona Contemporary Italian in Cooper-Young

Meet the New Team and Updated Menu at Cortona Contemporary Italian in Cooper-Young

By Pamela Denney

Cortona Chef Nate Olivia, a former chef de cuisine at Erling Jensen, cooks in his new kitchen in Cooper-Young.

Crystall Russell

Here's a perfect pairing of my dual roles as writer and teacher: One of my journalism students at the University of Memphis writes an excellent food story. In this case, the writer is Crystal Russell, and her story on Cortona Contemporary Italian in Cooper-Young is a look at the restaurant's updated menu shaped by chef Nate Olivia and manager Jennifer Dickerson.

Both Olivia and Dickerson are part of the restaurant's new management team, and their menu reflects a more contemporary and upscale turn for the trattoria opened two years ago by former chef/owner David Cleveland.

Russell published her story on MicroMemphis, a site written by journalism students as part of their capstone course before graduating. If you haven't seen their work, be sure to check it out. The students cover every angle of Cooper-Young, and the site is both newsy and entertaining.

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About This Blog

Memphis Stew is a food blog that celebrates our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat Memphis food. It is edited by Pamela Denney, food editor of Memphis magazine, who sees food as a delicious way to build families, friendships, and a more healthy and sustainable future.